“I would have given anything to be able to play on the same court in the NBA with my son.” Matt Barnes said—mirroring LeBron’s pride and pain when Bronny faced online abuse. Ever since Bronny announced for the draft, the nepotism debate grew like wildfire. The 20-year-old became a victim of the spotlight. Being a dad to twins who are dreaming the same dream as James Jr., Barnes knows what the feeling is like. Even his ex-wife is all for supporting their children and their dreams unapologetically.

MaxPreps counted 15 sons of NBA alumni among the top 75 high‑school prospects in 2024. When eligible, twins Carter and Isiah can be top of the class. On her podcast, Gloria Govan raised the ‘nepo-baby’ question, citing Deion Sanders’ sons as prime examples of unfair scrutiny, “We were just talking about Deion Sanders, you know, kids and his sons and things like that, and how they’re receiving extra criticism beyond who they are, but primarily probably because of their dad in addition.”

This debate about Coach Prime’s son’s unfair treatment was a hot topic during the NFL draft. Shedeur Sanders was previously predicted as a top 5 pick but eventually fell to the 5th round as the 144th pick. Many believed the 23-year-old’s personality, like his father could be a reason. That’s why Gloria asked her sons to share their perspective. Because not only is Matt Barnes their father and Gilbert Arenas their uncle, their mom’s second marriage is also to another former NBA star, Derek Fisher.

It was Isiah who first spoke about his mental space with the name of family pressure. “Do it for yourself in a sense, like don’t go out there trying to like, obviously like you have to defend your last name like by all means necessary. That’s what I’ve like started to look at more, via Sportsing! podcast. “Like, people will shame you because of your parents.” A situation that Bronny faced when trolls questioned LeBron James’ decision to allegedly force his son into the NBA.

Matt Barnes’ other twin has another method to deal with outside noise. “I always tell myself they’re talking for a reason, like you know, like they wouldn’t be saying that if you were just anybody else. So you know, when someone says something about you know, like when, like Gilbert, dad, Derek, I’m like, ‘Yeah, right, what about it, bro?” The 16-year-old prefers answering with his skills.

“I’ll kill you even if my last name wasn’t what my last name is. You can’t guard me, I can guard you, it’s not even an issue.” So, Matt Barnes’ sons are ready to prove their worth with stats and not by their last name.

Matt Barnes’ twins would want to avoid Deion Sanders’ like fate

Isiah and Carter Barnes just celebrated a milestone. They received official D‑I offers from the University of South Dakota, a program that’s welcomed NBA legacies in the past. Carter’s freshman campaign produced modest marks—7.3 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 1.2 SPG—but this year he’s exploded to 11.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.5 SPG, and 0.5 BPG over 30 games, proof of steep growth. Isaiah, meanwhile, owns a career 10.8 PPG over 59 outings; in 2024–25, he’s bumping that up to 13.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.8 APG, and 2.0 SPG

Those numbers set a promising stage, but they also come with a warning. Shedeur Sanders entered the 2024 NFL Draft as a projected top‑three pick, primed for a rookie payday north of $45 million. Instead, he fell to No. 144 overall, signing a four‑year, $4.6 million deal, leaving over $40 million on the table, Sanders did everything right athletically, yet external narratives and presumed “nepo bias” tanked his draft stock.

That razor‑thin margin between expectation and reality underscores what the Barnes twins already understand: prestige won’t protect you if performance wavers. Carter and Isaiah must guard against complacency. Not for dad’s headline, but for their own future paychecks. The twins are essential for Crespi Carmelite’s resurgence, with Isaiah ranking top three in points, rebounds, and steals for the season. Their path forward demands the same daily rigor that top draft prospects like Sanders and Bronny James Jr. face. Because even a storied surname can’t insulate you from falling short.

By keeping their heads down, stacking stats, and mastering their craft, the Barnes twins aim to flip the script.